A Whole New World
by iggy-writes
Summary: Kurt is a street rat stealing to get by. Blaine is the Sultan's son who feels trapped constantly. when they meet it sets off a series of events that neither could have predicted. Disney's Aladdin AU. Rating could change. :
1. Prologue

**Hi Guys! I'm Iggy :) **

**I've had this idea for a while now, but I've been pretty apprehensive about posting it because I wanted it to be as good as i could get it. So, thanks to an amazing beta and a whole whack of editing on my own part, I would say I'm finally ready to start posting it now :) **

**Basically it's an AU Klaine fic based on Disney's Aladdin. It wont follow the exact storyline as the cartoon, obviously. I have it planned to go in a few different directions in a few chapters from now. I'm also undecided on whether or not I'll be using magic at all (although I'm leaning toward not) so that will make some changes. **

**I really hope you enjoy it, and thanks for reading :) **

**OH! and I don't own glee, Kurt, Blaine, or anyone else who shows up from glee in this fic. All I own are the words, and even a few of those could belong to Walt Disney. :) **

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><p>"Stop! Thief!"<p>

Carts clattered by on the busy street – some barely stopping in time to avoid hitting the slender boy weaving through the mixture of buyers and sellers, who were packed like sardines between the buildings that lined the market. Not 100 yards behind the boy, a group of burley looking men in navy and red palace guard uniforms pushed and shoved their own way through the crowd, yelling at any civilian who blocked their path- accidentally or otherwise.

Over the movement of a busy market, the palace guard bellowed to civilians to stop the young boy who was quickly getting farther and farther ahead of them. But in a crowd full of cons, thieves, and vandals no one was exactly tripping over themselves to assist the guard.

The thief ran as fast as he could, darting back and forth to avoid bowling anyone over. He continued running until he could no longer hear the deep voices of the guard and the crowd behind him appeared settled. There didn't appear to by any commotion from guards pushing their way through behind him.

Reaching what he hoped was a safe distance from his pursuers, the young thief turned into an alley that was shaded from the hot dessert sun. He leans back against the wall of one of the buildings lining the alley, attempting to catch his breath after the quick getaway.

"Kurt!" He almost falls over when he heard someone say his name further down the alley.

"Damn it, Finn!" He scolded the tall boy who stepped out from the shadows, "I almost had a heart attack. I thought one of them caught up to me."

Finn shrugged, "Sorry little bro, but why would you worry about that? They've haven't caught you yet. Besides, it's not like they know your name."

Finn was right. Kurt may have had some close brushes with disaster in the past, but he had never been caught. He was much too fast for the heavyset men of the guard to out-run, and much smarter than all of the guard combined. In all honesty, they didn't stand a chance. But that didn't mean Kurt could let his guard down. A single slip-up and he was done for.

"The key word there, Finn, is _yet_. It doesn't happen until it does- and then you're finished." Kurt shivered at the possibility. The guard wasn't exactly known for being merciful. "And for the last time, I am _not_ your brother."

Kurt and Finn weren't related. Their parents had probably never even known each other. Though it would've been hard to tell since neither of them had seen their parents in years. Technically speaking, they were both orphans. But neither of them wanted to think about it like that. They didn't have anyone else and at the end of the day, they both liked the idea that there was one other person to care about and look out for them. That's what they did most for each other. They _cared_.

Finn shrugged Kurt's protest off, patting his not-brother on the back. "Whatever you say. Can we head home now? I'm starving."

"You're always starving; maybe that's why we're always stealing from old man Tanaka."

On the other end of the city, inside the walls that cut off the Sultan's palace from the outside world, two people sat in the lush gardens. A Princess Rachel perched perkily on the side of the extravagant fountain. Sitting opposite her, Prince Blaine nodded his head and smiled politely as she continued to chatter on in the same way she had been doing since early that afternoon when Blaine's father—who also happened to be the Sultan—insisted they meet.

"She's visiting from a neighbouring kingdom. She will need someone to show her around!" The Sultan had insisted the night before, "This could be your chance to charm the lady!"

"I have no interest in charming her, father!" Blaine had argued. The young prince had no qualms with showing a young girl around the palace, not in the slightest. The problem had nothing to do with that. Blaine's problem came with his father's _intentions._

For years now, every eligible pretty girl the Sultan could get a hold of had been making these same "visits" to the palace, each one needing to be shown around or wanting to visit the garden. In Rachel's case "to be shown around the gardens".

At first, Blaine had ignored his father's subtle hints that each new girl would make "a lovely companion," or would "look stunning in a wedding dress," but over time the hints became less and less subtle until they weren't hints anymore—they were orders.

"_This Quinn girl is perfect, Blaine. I can't possibly see what would be stopping you from proposing." _

"_Sunshine has been nothing but kind to you. You could at least _pretend_ to consider her."_

"_Miss. Peirce is beautiful, Blaine. There should be no problems for you in finding she would make a lovely bride."_

But nothing ever came from the visits made by the girls. Blaine had no interest in wooing any of them into marriage. They might all have been pretty—but the prince knew he could never see anything more than friendship in them or any other girl his father would push toward him. Blaine had only ever felt anything for boys. One boy in particular, actually, a boy named Jeremiah.

Jeremiah had always lived in the palace. His father was the leader of the royal guard and his mother was one of the closest handmaids to the Sultan's bride at the time, a woman named April who hadn't been around for very long. Blaine and Jeremiah had been close friends for a long time, and Blaine looked up to him. Jeremiah had been sixteen when Blaine was fourteen.

At the time the young prince had thought he was in love with the older boy, and one night as the two talked out in the garden, long after they should have been sleeping, Blaine had asked Jeremiah to kiss him. And the older boy obliged.

The kiss had been perfect in Blaine's opinion. He had been sure he had found someone who he could stay with forever. But he never got the chance to find out. When he awoke the next morning, Jeremiah was gone, there was a new captain of the guard, and not only was the handmaid gone but so was Blaine's stepmother, April.

Of course the prince had tried to ask his father about this, but his questions went unanswered. After a while he had to accept the fact that he might never know what had happened to his friend and his stepmother.

After that was when the girls began to come. Princesses from neighbouring kingdoms that weren't in line for their own throne or ladies with important parentage, hopeful for a young handsome prince as a husband. There was always a girl there coming in the door before it had a chance to close behind the girl that had come before her. And as beautiful as they all were, Blaine would never fall for them. He had known that for a long time. There was nothing wrong with them. It wasn't their appearances or even their personalities. It was that they were girls.

And so here he sat with the latest of these girls—Rachel Berry. He had to give it to her, of all the girls his father had brought in he didn't think any had been able to speak quite this long—or loudly—without stopping, though he couldn't blame her entirely. He had started the afternoon with "tell me about you." He just hadn't realized how big of a subject that was in Rachel's mind. He hadn't gotten a word in edgewise since.

_This must be what hell feels like..._

"But of course my talents will rival even the strongest of your kingdoms vocalists..."

_Does she ever stop talking? I mean... she must need to break for air once in a while... _

"But don't feel discouraged! Not everyone can posses the talent that I do so naturally..."

_I think she has something in her teeth..._

"And I'm sure I can teach my fellow artists here a thing or two. But I can't promise you they will ever reach my multitude of talents..."

"Looks like... Lettuce?"

"Pardon?" Rachel looked at him blankly, head tilted to the side.

"Oh! Erm... nothing, My Lady! But if I may, it's getting late and we've been out here since early afternoon. May I suggest we head in for dinner?"

The young lady appeared shocked at the amount of time that had passed while she had been speaking, but nodded to the Prince's request. Blaine is about to offer his hand and lead her inside when he spots a figure standing on the edges of the garden. "Why don't you head in before me? I have something I would like to attend to before supper."

Rachel smiles and nods before turning and heading inside. She walks through the large archway and disappears out of sight. Blaine lets out a low whistle, "I had almost forgotten what quiet sounded like."

The man who had been watching them earlier stepped forward, placing a hand on Blaine's shoulder "She's a pretty girl. Talented, too."

"I know, father. She's a very pretty girl." Blaine had to agree with that. Rachel had large brown eyes and a gorgeous smile. As uninterested as Blaine might have been, there was no denying she was beautiful. "As for her talent, I would have to assume she has it. Otherwise she wouldn't have spent the entire day telling me about it." This part he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice, but it goes unnoticed.

"Yes, well I hear from her father that her talents outshine any other girl's we've brought in so far. She would make you a perfect bride, Blaine." His son doesn't respond. Blaine just stares off into the distance with a hard expression on his face. "We can't keep doing this forever, Blaine. If you don't choose a bride soon, I'll be the one choosing for you."

The prince tenses noticeably under his father's grip. "Yes Sir."

And with that the Sultan was gone, leaving his son standing tense in the gardens. He could still feel the weight of his father's hand on his shoulder.

"_Finn_! Did you seriously eat _everything_ we had left from today?"

Finn poked his head around the corner, "I'm really, _really_ sorry Kurt. I know we said we would save it but I haven't had a full meal in _so long_ and it was _right there_..." Finn trailed off, but Kurt can tell just by looking at him that Finn really does mean it. He's a big guy and he needs food to run. That just happens to be more than they can afford, to buy or steal.

"No I'm sorry. It's not your fault. Look, for now we'll just have to keep trying to get by. We'll make things work..." The smaller boy rubbed his temples, and he had to wonder just how much longer they _can_ keep this up.

"Listen... Kurt... I promise I'll get a job or something soon. It's just that no one can really afford to pay right now and there are so many guys looking for jobs..." Kurt just nodded in response.

He wished he hadn't yelled at Finn because he knew none of this was Finn's fault. They had barely gotten by together and they wouldn't survive at all if they started arguing all the time. They'd both been looking for jobs for ages, but no one could afford to pay an employee when the entire kingdom could barely keep themselves fed. Honestly Kurt and Finn had it much easier than some did.

They lived in two small rooms that used to be occupied by Kurt and his father. Below them is what used to be the shop were Burt (Kurt's father) had fixed carts for those lucky enough to own them, but Kurt hadn't been able to afford keeping it after his father's disappearance and had sold it to another small family from the area who needed a home, which left Kurt and Finn with only the two small upstairs rooms. Though Kurt had started to fear they wouldn't have that for much longer either.

Finn uttered another apology and then a goodnight before ducking back into the other room, leaving Kurt alone. The pale boy sat on the edge of the makeshift window, a hole in the wall that had been there ever since he could remember, and looked out toward the moon that hung low over the palace ground in the distance. What it must have been like to live inside, with such a free and worriless life—one could only imagine.

"I'm scared, Mom," he whispered so that Finn wouldn't hear him talking from the next room over. "What if we can't afford to live here anymore? I already gave up the shop. What will Dad do if he comes back and I've lost out home too?" It's a stupid thing to worry about. He doesn't even know if his father is alive, but he doesn't know if he's dead either. And that's reason enough to believe. "You must be so disappointed in me, Mom." A tear rolled down his cheek and he wiped it away, "I've screwed everything up."

He didn't say any more for a long time after that. He just stared off into space until his eyelids grew heavy. "I love you Mom." He managed to mumble out, but didn't have the energy to say anything more. He lay back on the ledge feeling scared and a bit lonely and stared at one of the only lights left still burning on the skyline. Most everyone was sleeping, and even the palace was dark at this time of night, but just barely he could see the flickering of a lantern still lit on one balcony of the extravagant royal palace.

It wasn't the first time he'd seen this light. It came and went every once in a while. Sometimes it was lit every night, other times it would be weeks before the light would make an appearance. He had to wonder to himself, a bit bitterly, _what could possibly be keeping someone in the palace up at night? What worries could they possibly have that kept them from resting?_ Either way, he found a strange comfort in the idea that, at least on nights when the light appeared, he wasn't the only one in Agrabah awake or troubled.

So he stayed up with the light, watched it closely as it dimmed and eventually flickered out when whatever palace occupant that had been up with it finally went to sleep.

He dreamt about faint yellow lights that night, and a bright moon surrounded by little stars. It wasn't much, nothing that he'd remember in the morning. But it was a happy dream. He could feel it.

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><p><strong>Well there it is! I hope you enjoyed it! As always, reviews are amazing :) <strong>

**I've got the second chapter pretty much finished, I'm rewriting the ending now! So expect an update soon :) **

**Love always, Iggy! **


	2. One Jump Ahead

**I am so, so sorry for how long this took! It's just that it was the holidays and I had it pretty much entirely written but it needed to be betaed and it was originally so long and... yeah I'm rambling. sorry!**

**Okay so when I first wrote chapter two, it was a little under 7,000 words. I realized tonight that that was a little long for my tastes and cut it into two. So now this is chapter two, and what should have been the second half of chapter two will be chapter three. This works because it gives me more time to work on what would have been chapter three but is now chapter four. So... yeah that's what's happening! (this half is about three thousand words, the next is a little under 4,000 i think)**

**So in this chapter our two heroes meet, along with our faithful sidekick Finn and a bit more palace guard interaction... have fun! **

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><p>Kurt raised his hands to his hair, attempting to force the locks into a somewhat attractive style. He might not have been able to afford the clothing that he wanted—the luxurious garments always seen worn by the rich and respected—but at least he could keep his hair looking as fashionable and immaculate as it could be.<p>

He continued to toy with his hair, fighting against the Arabian heat in a losing battle. Beside him Finn sat with his long legs dangling off the edge of the building the pair rested on top of. It had been a long day. Finn had been looking for work since the sun had come up and into the late afternoon. Kurt had spent the day slipping coins from the pockets of inattentive shopkeepers until he had enough to pay for the small meal of bread and cheese Finn was snacking on now, Kurt having wrapped his in a tattered cloth to save for later.

Kurt sat with his legs crossed and back straight, scanning the street below him. It had moved into the time between late afternoon and early evening when the crowds had begun to thin out with some shopkeepers already closing up. No one worth selling honest wares to would be out once the sun went down. This part of the city was far too dangerous to be wandering at night.

"A lot of guards walking around town today. They looking for you?" Finn asks around a mouthful of bread. Kurt stops fooling with his hair to look at his companion,

"Couldn't be. I was too careful. No one could have noticed me today." Kurt looks puzzled. Yes, there was a generous amount of thieves in the area, but he likes to think he would have noticed if any of the usual culprits were out today. It's a close knit community, that of thieves and cheats.

Finn shrugs, "Well they were looking for someone. I don't know who, but he must have been pretty damn important if even the captain is out looking."

This makes Kurt pause. It's fairly rare for the captain to go out hunting thieves. The man rarely leaves the palace grounds unless it's for an emergency. Kurt himself had only had run ins with the man one or two times.

Kurt shrugged, humming thoughtfully and turning his attention back to the street below. Whoever they were looking for best hope they weren't found. The captain of the guard wasn't known for being merciful. Kurt would know for more reasons than one...

By the time the not-brothers finished eating their meal—Kurt forcing Finn to store some bread and cheese in his bag for later—the sun hung heavy and low in the sky. Still high enough to heat the sand but low enough to change the clouds to pretty shades of orange and pink. They pushed off the side of the building, landing in the alley on just the other side.

The plan was to head straight home. They were both exhausted and Kurt didn't think he had ever been more frustrated with his hair in his life. They both agreed it was best to just call it a day.

That didn't happen.

They walked through the alley to come out on the other side of the street. Straight into a large crowd of people whispering to each other over what was happening at the front of the pack.

"Dude, I think someone's getting arrested up there..." Finn said. Kurt was pretty sure Finn was the only one near the back of the crowd who could see what was going on up front. Being the height of the average palace tower had it advantages.

Kurt began to push his way through the crowd, followed closely by Finn. As he got nearer and nearer to the front of the crowd, leaving a string of annoyed people whom they had pushed aside behind him, he saw Finn was right. A group of guard who were looking a mixture of intimidating and excited were advancing on a boy looking to be about Kurt's age, with a darker skin tone and black curly hair. He was handsome, Kurt thought. With a strong jaw and toned arms. He looked much too well thin and healthy for a thief. They were usually too thin with sallow skin and unkempt appearances. Kurt worked hard to keep from letting himself get to such a state, but most of the criminals didn't mind if they looked a little rough.

There was a look of defiance on the boy's face, he appeared to be saying no to the guards. Telling them he refused to go with them or obey their orders. Miraculously, he was still alive.

"Do not touch me," he said, his shoulders square in an attempt to appear confident and intimidating despite his small stature.

"Just come with me boy." The guard nearest him ordered, reaching out to grab the boy's arm, but of course he pulled away. For a moment the guard seems to consider reaching for his sword, but hesitates.

"I said _do not touch me_." This time his voice is firmer, more confident. He's noticed the guard's hesitation, too.

"Move aside!" Across the crowd another guard breaks though, sword already drawn and face set in a look of anger and determination. A face Kurt knows all too well.

The other guard moved aside immediately to let their captain through. His uniform was different from the others. Instead of the navy vest and red sash of the other guards his is a red vest with blue sash, the sash lined with gold as a sign of authority. His frame was also bigger than the other's. Burlier. Stronger.

The moment the captain stepped forward Kurt knew someone had to do something and fast, or the handsome man against the wall would be dead in no longer than a few short moments, only as long as it would take for the captain to raise his weapon. The burly man stepped close to the criminal, bearing down on him threateningly.

Then, without thinking about it, Kurt's feet were carrying him forward. He acted quickly, before the guard could react and kill them both. Dodging arms that reached out to stop him he darted forward, slipping his hand around the other boy's and tugging him to the side. He caught the boy's eyes, looking back at him with confusion.

"_Run_."

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><p>Blaine was beginning to think he may have made a mistake. He had run from the palace in the early morning, leaving nothing behind save for a short note to his father, He had reached the streets of Agrabah just as the shops began to open and walked the streets for a good hour before realizing he had no idea what the next step was. He had no plan. He had simply stolen a set of peasants robes from the servant's quarters, bid Pavarotti a short goodbye, and left. He couldn't risk telling Wes or David he was leaving. They were sure to try and stop him.<p>

His real problem began when the sun was high in the sky. That's when he first spotted them; the palace guard wandering the market streets looking for someone. A prince who had gone missing from the palace while everyone else was asleep. Of course none of the peasants knew that was why they were looking, but Blaine did. His father would have ordered them out the moment he noticed his son was gone. He knew getting caught meant returning to an angry father, facing punishment for leaving the palace and defying direct orders. Not that it mattered now. He could take all of his father's punishments, the scolding and his consequences, but he couldn't handle being caged up like that. Trapped in his father's perfect, worry-free marble prison. He hated being treated like some privileged porcelain bird in a cage. He needed to get out.

He did everything he could to not draw attention to himself. He avoided being seen at all if he could help it. The last thing he needed was to start a commotion and attract a guard's attention.

So naturally that's exactly what he did.

It was an honest mistake really. He had been walking the streets up and down in the most inconspicuous of ways, when he passed two children who couldn't be over the age of eight begging for money or food. They were much too thin and their faces were filled with much more sadness than should be known by such young children, Blaine thought.

Without giving it a second thought Blaine had grabbed a large roll from a nearby stand and handed it to them. Immediately their eyes had lit up and the two ran off with the food, likely expecting it to be taken from them at any second. Blaine had been incredibly pleased with himself until he felt a strong grip on his arm, a meaty hand turning him to meet with an angry glare.

To say the shopkeeper hadn't been pleased was an understatement. Blaine had assured the man he could pay, only to find all of the gold he had taken from the palace gone from his pockets, stolen.

Despite Blaine's protests, the shopkeeper had called for the nearest guards, who had been patrolling the streets even more thoroughly in search of the missing prince. It didn't take them long to catch up with Blaine, who had never even visited the town, let alone had to run from his father's police through it.

They hadn't recognized him until he was backed against a wall. That's when they began to demand he come with them back to the palace, where his father would be waiting to do gods know what to him.

And that's when _he_ had shown up.

The peasant boy with the shocking blue eyes. Blaine hadn't seen him break from the crowd until he was right in front of him, pulling him to the side and around the corner of the building. He pulled Blaine through alleyways and streets, even darting through a few homes in the effort to shake the dozen or so guards tailing them.

They took a sharp left turn and are met with more guards coming from the opposite direction. Beside him the stranger who had been pulling him along sniffs at the guards sudden appearance.

"They choose _now_ to have a decent plan." Blaine heard him hiss.

"You come in contact with these guys often?" Blaine whispers back. It somehow hadn't occurred to him that the person helping him run from the police might not exactly be trustworthy himself.

"Once or twice." The boy replied sarcastically, "You could say we're old friends." He had begun the back them up, seeing as they couldn't go side to side due to guards blocking both paths. They continued to back until Blaine's back hit the hard wall of the building. Just wonderful. He's gotten himself trapped against another—

"Up." The blue eyed by whispers.

Blaine gives him a questioning look, "Up?"

"Yes. Up!"

The boy swivels around and jumps, clamouring onto a rope ladder hanging from the roof of the building they had their backs to. It hung about five feet off the ground, and the slender stranger had to pull himself onto the first rung with strength Blaine hadn't realized he had. Once he was up, he immediately started to climb toward the rooftop only looking down when he realized Blaine wasn't following him.

"Hurry up! You don't have all day, you know." He said, rolling his eyes.

Blaine was frozen for a few moments. There were angry guards running toward him on both sides and a stranger urging him to climb up the side of a building using a ladder which he knows can't possibly be secure. He looked back and forth between his two options, took a deep breath, and jumped.

His hands only barely reached the first rung of the ladder, and it takes him a fair amount of effort to pull his body up to join them. By the time he's making his way up the palace guard has reached the bottom, one of them beginning to follow.

Blaine hurried up, for the blue-eyed boy was already waiting at the top. At one point, his foot almost slipped and he was sure he was done for, but he regained his balance and continued up. The guard was close behind him but Blaine is almost at the top now, only a few more rungs to go.

He felt a hand brush his pant leg and looked down, immediately regretting it. The ground seemed so, so far away. He felt a bit dizzy just thinking about it. He barely had time to deal with fear of heights just then, though. The Guard was only a short distance away from him. The burly man was reaching up, grabbing for Blaine's foot to pull him down. The man stretched, his hand about to close around Blaine's ankle when suddenly Blaine found himself being pulled into the air and off of the ladder. He's dropped onto the stone of the roof roughly. He could hear the guards yelling from below.

He looked up at the person who had lifted him from the ladder. It's not the boy who had pulled him from the street. This boy is taller, more muscular, and has a light tan.

"Uh…" He said dumbly, and the other boy just shook his head.

"You are so lucky I pulled you when I did, man."

Blaine looked around for the first boy, to find him leaning over the edge of the building, tossing the rope away and pocketing a short knife. He turned to find both Blaine and the taller boy watching him. "I cut the rope. Should slow them down," he explained.

Blaine looked between the two strangers, trying to catch his breath from the climb. "It's not that I'm not grateful for your help but... Who are you guys?"

The taller boy smiled, reaching out his hand "I'm Finn and this is—"

"I'm Kurt," the other boy finished for him. "Can we do this later? They are still after you, after all."

Blaine nodded and followed Kurt and Finn, who were already running toward the other side of the roof. Blaine watches with wide eyes as they both jump and disappear over the edge. "Oh Gods..." He said to himself. Who the hell had he been following around? Someone who ran all around Agrabah just to jump off the top of a building when they're about to get away? Slowly, he made his way toward the edge where they had disappeared "Please don't be dead please don't be dead please don't be-"

"What are you waiting for?" Oh. Down below on a rooftop about one story lower than that of the building Blaine still stood on, Kurt and Finn were waiting.

"You're alive!" Blaine said dumbly.

"Of course we're alive! Come on!" Kurt called up, "Jump!"

Blaine's eyes widened immediately at this. He looked down. The gap between his rooftop and theirs was about eight feet by his estimations, and the fall to the ground something like twenty. He can already feel his head spinning. "I... Do I have to?" he asked.

"Dude are you serious right now?" Finn replied, looking supremely confused, "you don't really have any other option."

Blaine exhaled heavily. Finn was right. He could hear the guards yelling from the other side, and he could only assume they'd find a way to the roof at any moment. "I... I don't know if I can do this," he said nervously.

"Dude, I..." Finn started, but Kurt cut him off.

"Listen, Blaine. It seems a lot higher to you than it is. You'll be okay, alright? Trust me." Blaine turned his eyes to Kurt, who was looking at him with an expression of concern on his face. They locked eyes, Kurt trying to convey as much comfort as he could and Blaine trying not to appear as terrified as he really was.

He looked down once more and then back to his destination, taking a second to glance behind him and watch as a rope and hook were thrown over the roof, likely for the guards to use as a way to reach the top. He turned to face forward again, squeezing his eyes shut tight.

_One... two... two...two..._

"There he is!"

_Three._

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><p><em><em>**Okay! So there's chapter two! (or at least the first half of it...) I hope you enjoyed it! **

**In the next chapter: Kurt and Finn lead Blaine back to their home for the night. Kurt and Blaine get to know each other better, Blaine realizes he may have feelings for the handsome street rat who saved his life. **

**Also there's some big Klaine development at the end, nbd. **

**Thanks so much for reading! It means a lot! **

**And thanks again for your reviews! It makes me so happy when I get them! **

**See you next time! **


	3. Arabian Nights

**Okay! Here's Chapter 3! (or chapter two part two, if you want to look at it that way). There's a snippet of the end of the last part at the beginning just so the transition is a bit more comfortable as well :) **

**I have a few things to talk about, but I'll wait until the end of the chapter to do that. So.. yeah there'll be some notes at the end :) **

**Thanks to my beta, Skia, who deals with my constant tense-changes and issues. **

***still don't own glee* **

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><p><em><strong><strong>Last Chapter:_

_"Listen, Blaine. It seems a lot higher to you than it is. You'll be okay, alright? Trust me." Blaine turned his eyes to Kurt, who was looking at him with an expression of concern on his face. They locked eyes, Kurt trying to convey as much comfort as he could and Blaine trying not to appear as terrified as he really was._

_He looked down once more and then back to his destination, taking a second to glance behind him and watch as a rope and hook were thrown over the roof, likely for the guards to use as a way to reach the top. He turned to face forward again, squeezing his eyes shut tight._

_One... two... two...two..._

_"There he is!"_

_Three._

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><p>He pushed off, his feet leaving the roof at the same moment that the first of the guards had begun clamouring over the edge. He didn't open his eyes for the entire fall, until he felt his feet hit the hard stone of the roof. He stumbled on the landing, almost falling forward. Luckily, he's landed only a few feet in front of Kurt and the boy had the foresight to reach forward and grab Blaine's sides to steady him. "You alright?" he asked once Blaine had gained his balance enough to stand.<p>

Blaine looked up to meet Kurt's eyes and _woah. There's those eyes again, _he thought, because when he's standing less than a few inches from Kurt it's much easier to catch that maybe they're not so blue at all. There are streaks of green there, too, with blue shades swirling around the pupil and golden flecks at the very edges of the iris... "Blaine?" Kurt asked again, waving a hand in front of the shorter boy's face.

"Huh? Yeah I'm alright just... a bit dizzy." He said. His head had been swimming the moment he had seen the distance between himself and the ground, but for some reason the feeling had changed once he had touched down. It wasn't really dizzy, but he couldn't think of any other word to describe it, so he left it at that.

Kurt nodded. "Alright. As long as you're sure." He stepped back and released Blaine. The dark haired boy teetered a bit, but gained his footing soon enough.

They continued running for a while longer. The time they had lost back on the rooftop was regained when Kurt lead them down a passage that was barely wide enough for Finn to fit through, let alone thirty burly guards. Blaine's guess was that they didn't even see the trio disappear down the passage in the first place. He knows he wouldn't have had he been chasing them.

The passage was easily overlooked. It was placed in the middle of a tall city wall, surrounded by closed shopping stalls and parked carts. The square where the wall could be found appeared to have more closed shops than anywhere else in the city. During the day, the commotion in the square would probably be so great that the small passage would be virtually invisible. Perfect for someone on the run from the guard.

The passage stayed perfectly straight and narrow the entire time. They were lucky it did, because the moonlight could hardly reach inside the cramped space. Had it been filled with twists and turns Blaine would have walked right into a wall.

Kurt lead the way, followed by Blaine with Finn bringing up the rear. Part of him thought that maybe the two believe that he's actually incompetent enough to get lost in a straight passage. They're probably right.

Blaine spotted a soft glow ahead but couldn't quite make out what it might be. Then he heard noise. It was the sound of carts clattering and a murmured speech. This surprised him. By the looks of the rest of the city everything had been closed up for quite some time now, but what Blaine heard was the sound of a busy market.

The passage finally let out, and Blaine found himself in the middle of yet another large square. This one was bustling with life. It might have been dark out then, but the streets were lit with lanterns hanging off of carts and standing on poles in front of stands. There were many men, women, and children wandering from place to place and speaking. Some looked like friendly conversations while others look like heated arguments.

"Black market." Kurt whispered to Blaine in way of explanation. "It's what happens to all the things we steal that we don't need for ourselves, or anything that you can't buy on the main streets." Finn nodded in agreement.

"Does it run like this every night?" Blaine asked.

"Of course." Kurt replied, "most of the people here don't have jobs or money. A lot don't even have homes for that matter. Whatever we earn here is enough to get us through the next day or two and then we come back for more. It's a constant system."

Blaine took another look around. At first he had thought that many of the people in the square had just been conversing, but upon closer inspection he could tell that the interactions were, in fact, trades. People discreetly handing over whatever it was they had with them, to have either coins or another object placed in their hand in return. Jewellery, cloth, food, tools... and that was only the things Blaine could recognize. If his father knew that there was a black market filled with stolen and illegal products he would have the guard bursting through here within the hour.

"Isn't it dangerous? What if they ever found out?"

"The guard? They're not quite that smart. They know something's going on but they have no way of knowing what or where. We're too careful for that now. Luckily they're the sultan's only link to the city since no royal ever bothers to walk outside the palace gates."

_Until now..._ Blaine thought. Him simply being there was a huge problem for every one of those people. If he was anything like the future king he was raised to be he would run back to his father and have the entire guard carry everyone here off to the palace dungeons. If they even made it that far.

"Besides," Finn added, "Whatever risk we take here is better than starving to death like people are out there." He jerked his thumb back toward the crack in the wall. Beside Finn, Kurt nodded sadly. "The people are usually nice as far as street rats go, and Kurt and I are lucky enough to have a roof over our heads here, too."

Because it wasn't just shops and carts here. There were buildings and homes, too. It occurred to Blaine that these people actually lived here. They went out during the day and scrounged for any little thing to get their families through the next night, came back here and sold everything but the bare essentials, and then went home to sleep in one of these cold, run down and crumbling homes.

"So... all of these people, they live here?" Blaine asked.

"Well not all of them." Finn replied. "The homes we do have are already usually pretty crowded. There's not room for everyone. Some people sleep on the streets here too, though. They're safer than the streets out there."

"You would think a community of criminals would be more dangerous." Kurt supplied, continuing to lead them through the square, "But everyone here knows how hard it is to be out there. We don't want to make it even harder on someone else."

It was a reality Blaine would never have stopped to consider back at the palace. Not because he didn't care, but because he didn't know. Everyone there made it seem like his father was an amazing king who ran a kingdom that was perfect. But it wasn't perfect at all. There were people out here starving and homeless and dying. Surely his father didn't know it was this bad? He would have done something to help them by now, he's sure. Or at least that's what he says to himself to settle the sickness in his gut.

Kurt and Finn led him through the square to the opposite end from the entrance. There was a building there, two stories, with an old painted sign on one side that reads "Hummel Carts & Supplies"

"A cart shop?" Blaine asks with interest.

"Not anymore." Kurt replies, but offers no other explanation.

They led Blaine up to their small apartment. It was two rooms and about the size of Blaine's bathing room at the palace. That sick feeling in his stomach kept coming back every time he realized how fortunate he'd been the past 17 years. Made him wonder what Kurt and Finn would say if they knew Blaine had been running away from four meals a day, an extravagant roof over his head, and every possession he could ever ask for at the blink of an eye.

They showed him where Finn slept. It also happened to be the room that served as an entrance, the sitting room, and the dining area (or so Kurt told him. There's no furniture besides a couch, an old table, and a few pots).

Finn collapsed on the couch the moment they entered, lying down on it sideways. He offered a quick apology to Blaine, saying that he was way too tired to stay up and talk or anything. He was asleep in minutes.

Next Kurt showed him the second room. It was significantly smaller than the first, and Blaine wondered if it was ever even meant to be a room. In his experience, rooms had always been large enough to ride exotic animals through. This one was hardly large enough to fit anything more than what was already in it. An uncomfortable looking cot in the corner, a floor rug, and a worn chest that he assumed held Kurt's personal belongings. There was a hole in one wall just above the cot, and he couldn't resist but step close to it.

Outside was the most beautiful view he'd ever seen. He could see almost the entire city from here, all darkened for the night with the exception of the black market's dim glow. The sky seemed brighter, the stars closer than they ever did from his room in the palace. Except he _knew_ that can't be true because he can practically see his palace room from here. The most beautiful part of the view was the palace standing tall over the entire city with its lights also darkened, still illuminated by the large moon. _So this is what it looks like from the outside. _He thought, _it doesn't look like a cage at all. _Though he knew better than anyone that a cage is exactly what it was.

"It's really something, isn't it?" Kurt came up behind him and took a seat on the ledge of the window.

"Yeah it's... it's something alright." Blaine returned, sighing and sitting beside him.

"I've always wondered what it would be like to live there. Have anything you could ever want and then some." Kurt continued.

"Not everything..." Blaine sighed. Kurt gave him a confused look, "I just mean... their lives must be so controlled. Always having to be told what to do and how to act. You're not free to make even one choice on your own."

"As if I'm free to do that now? I'm too busy running from guards."

"You would always have to wear whatever they told you to."

"At least my clothes would be more than old ripped rags."

"You wouldn't be able to say what was on your mind."

"No one cares what a thief has to say."

"I do." There was a long silence before Blaine spoke again. "I just think... living in the palace is too controlled. People have the power to tell you everything from what to think to who to love."

Kurt shrugged. "People have been trying to tell me who I should love for a long time now It's something I've grown to ignore."

Blaine stared at Kurt for a long moment. The other boy is looking out at the view, and Blaine hoped he won't be caught staring. He takes a deep breath, "Me too."

Now Kurt looked at him, "What?"

"Me too. People have been telling me who to love. Maybe not in so many words but... it's certainly been implied." He let out a long breath.

Kurt still appeared puzzled. "And who have they been telling you to love?"

"Girls." Blaine replied without even thinking, "Hoards of them. Whoever comes along. Anyone will do now, it seems."

Kurt raised his eyebrows, looking back out toward the view, "And you've never found any of the girls to your liking?" he tried to sound uninterested.

"Not at all." Blaine answered with a small laugh, although it isn't at all comical when it comes down to it. "But then, It's come to the point where it doesn't really matter how I feel on the subject."

"I don't see why. No one can force you to fall in love with a girl." Blaine held back a laugh at this, because in all honesty that's exactly what his father was aiming for. "Of course it matters how you feel."

Blaine didn't say anything, just shrugged. It would probably have been best to steer the conversation away from himself, anyway. There wasn't exactly much he could say without getting into details of who he was and what he was doing here. At this point that was the last thing he needed.

"How long have you and Finn been together?" Kurt looked up at Blaine, startled. "No not like that I mean... how long have you been living together? Alone?"

Kurt nodded understandingly and looked back out to the view. "I met Finn when I was thirteen." _Alright, so not brothers the,._ Blaine thought. "We both lost our parents when the city burned, and we sort of... took care of each other. Finn lost his home entirely. The guards destroyed it but... I still had this place. So I offered him a room as long as he kept up his share of the payments and he could get himself food. He ended up being really useful for everything, actually. He knows the city better than anyone I've ever met. I've lived here my whole life and he still showed me ways to get around I never knew. It made it so easy to get away when we had to steal... It wasn't easy but we get by."

Blaine had been taught about the city burning that Kurt was referring to back at the palace. It had happened because the peasants in the city weren't happy with the amount of money they had or food prices or... something. His teachers had passed it off as not very important. From what he gathered, there had been plotting against the sultan and Blaine's family and the guard had put a stop to it by burning the homes of those suspected of crimes against the throne and punishing anyone who tried to stop them. They had always tried to make it seem like the guard and the sultan had done some amazing thing by killing people and burning homes, but to Blaine it had all just seemed barbaric.

"That's terrible. I'm... I'm sorry." Blaine said, remorse clear in his voice.

"Don't be." Kurt shook his head. "That was years ago, now. We try not to think about it too much. We don't really know what happened to our parents but... thinking about it just makes it worse." Blaine nods his understanding. "What about you, Blaine? You're obviously not from here, so what are you doing in Agrabah?"

Blaine pressed his lips together in a tight smile, thinking for a moment. He couldn't tell Kurt the truth, not after everything he's seen and heard today. He's never really been much of a liar, either. "Let's just say I'm from somewhere far away. And that I don't want to go back."

Kurt gave him a curious look, but settled for it, obviously knowing when not to pry. Blaine puts the conversation back in Kurt's hands and that's all it takes.

Kurt was easy to talk to. The boy who was so clipped and calculative outside in the marketplace seemed so relaxed and conversational inside his home. His eyes softened, brightening when he got excited over whatever the conversation topic was and there was a soft smile on his face whenever Blaine asked a question or showed interest in what he was saying (which, Blaine finds, is anything Kurt says).

Kurt told Blaine more about his life and briefly touched on details about his father and mother, but never actually focused on them for more than a second. He talked about what he would do if he weren't too busy just trying to get by and he told Blaine all sorts of stories from the marketplace that involved him escaping angered shopkeepers and outsmarting palace guards.

Blaine learned a lot. He learned that downstairs used to be a cart shop owned by Kurt's father, which branched into telling all about the family who lived there now. Kurt said they have two young children and a son about Kurt's age, and that they're some of the nicest people he'd ever come across. After that he talks about Finn, and how he seemed scary but was actually harmless when it came down to it. He talked about the view from his window and how much he loved looking out at the stars before he went to sleep, and even things as trivial as how he loved to toast his bread over a fire when he got the luxury. He briefly mentioned that he loves to sing, but Blaine was too shy to ask if he'd ever be able to hear.

"Sometimes, there's this light right... there." Blaine followed Kurt's pointed finger to one of the palace towers, "A lantern or something that's usually on way later than any of the other lights in the palace. I know this sounds silly so don't laugh but... I like to stay up with it."

"Stay up with it?" Blaine was trying hard to keep his voice level and unaffected as he directed his gaze toward his old bedroom tower.

"It's almost always there. Sometimes I think the owner is the only other person in the entire city who's awake. I always try to imagine what could possibly be keeping them up at night."

Blaine stared at the tower, "It's not there tonight..."

"No, it's not." Kurt agreed, never taking his eyes off the tower.

"Maybe they found a solution to their problems." Blaine suggested, his gaze locked on Kurt.

"Maybe..." Kurt's voice was distant, still watching the darkened balcony.

Blaine sighed, looking between Kurt and the palace.

"You wouldn't like it there. The palace, I mean." Blaine finally said after a long but comfortable silence.

"And how could you be so sure?" Kurt asked.

"I just am." Blaine replied. "You're so... free. You're sure of yourself and strong and... Amazing. You and your brother live here with not a coin to your name and yet somehow you survive against all odds. You... no. You would be much too strong to live in a place like that. You're too good for that place."

Kurt was absolutely _shocked_ by Blaine's reply. Not because he had so blatantly pointed out the hopelessness of his and Finn's situation or because he had said Kurt was too good for a _palace _when he now lived in a crumbling room in the center of a starving city_,_ but because he had called him amazing. Told him he was strong. No one had done that since his father had gone. Not one person.

"You really think that much of me? You haven't even known me one day."

"I don't have to." Kurt's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline, but Blaine continued. "I only had to know you for as long as I have to tell you you're amazing. You're one of the most brilliant people I've ever met. The way you live is dangerous and it's hard but you still have this light in your eyes. Like you haven't given up, you're still fighting for things to get better. Anyone else would have given up on that a long time ago. Not you, though. You're stronger than that."

"You give me too much credit." Kurt said, trying once again to sound cool and collected but it's obvious Blaine's words have affected him. "I'm just a street rat."

"No." Blaine said firmly. He moved closer, sitting with his hand resting only a few inches away from Kurt's. "There's so much more to you than that. I can see that and you can too. You're... special." He decides, "You're so much more than stealing bread and running from idiot guards."

Kurt's lips turned up slightly, and he turned to meet Blaine's eyes head-on. "You really believe that?"

"Of course I do." They were both whispering, as if being too loud could break the comfortable atmosphere that had been hovering around them. Their faces were close and they were both staring straight into the other's eyes. The small distance between them seemed to be charged, buzzing with unspoken words. Blaine could hear his heartbeat in his chest speed up as Kurt's eyes seemed to search his, clear and blue and completely mesmerizing.

Blaine saw something flash in Kurt's eyes and for a moment he thought the other boy might kiss him. His eyes were already beginning to slide closed when Kurt jumped back, his face a bright shade of red.

"We should... we should get to sleep" Kurt stammered, "We... it's been a long day."

Blaine was a bit confused. It took a moment for it to kick in what had just happened. He nodded. "Uh.. right." He said after a beat, "Where am I sleeping again?"

Kurt tried to ignore the confused and rejected look on Blaine's face, and turned away to look around the room. "Uhh..."

As previously stated, there wasn't much room in the small apartment. Enough for Finn's couch and Kurt's cot and a table or chest in each room. They never considered having anyone else have to stay with them, but it was apparent that Blaine had nowhere else to go and the not-brothers had already discussed quietly on the way in that they couldn't just leave him for his own on the streets. He obviously had no idea how to fend for himself in an adorable "help me I'm clueless" sort of way that reminded Kurt of a cute lost puppy (that last part hadn't been mentioned to Finn).

"I guess I could take the floor, you can borrow my bed for the night." Kurt suggested, shrugging noncommittally.

"No way. I'm not taking your bed after everything you've done for me. I can take the floor." At this, Kurt was the one to disagree.

"Not a chance. I may be a street rat but I do have manners. I'm not letting the guest sleep on the floor."

"Well I'm not letting my host give up his bed and sleep on the floor on my account."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Stubborn..." he muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Listen, why don't we just... share the cot? That way we're both comfortable and neither of us wake up with a stiff neck or back." Even as he said it Kurt was blushing.

"Err... Alright, I guess that makes the most sense." Blaine agreed. They both moved toward the cot in the corner of the room, removing their shoes and leaving them at the foot. Blaine was the first to lay down, crawling up under the thin sheet on his side. At this point he might normally have been embarrassed at just crawling into someone else's bed, but as soon as his head touched the pillow he realized he was too exhausted to care. Kurt stood at the foot of the cot and stares down at him for a few long seconds, before Blaine finally felt the other boy crawl in next to him and pull slightly on the sheet.

"Goodnight, Blaine."

"Goodnight Kurt."

It was a bit awkward, moving around the small bed to try and get comfortable. Eventually they found a position that works for both of them. Blaine was on his side facing the wall, Kurt was on his back with his side pressed against Blaine's back. Kurt sleeps easier than he ever has, for once going to bed without that feeling of complete isolation or wondering what it would be like to be someone else. Blaine found it a bit harder to sleep, being used to heavy duvets and feathered pillows, but it wasn't as bad as he expected. The cot wasn't as thin as it looked and Kurt was warm against his back. He found himself drifting to sleep just as easy as if he were in his own bed at the palace and had spent the night on his balcony with a lantern lit, looking over the city.

It was nice. Comfortable, even. They made it through the night sleeping soundly, neither of them dreaming or waking up even once before morning.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay! So there's that. Originally, this chapter ended an entirely different way and there was a whole other scene attatched to the end, but I like it this way better :) <strong>

**Like I said, I had a couple things to tell you guys! First of all, thank you for reading so far. This is the first chapter fic I have written and I've been really nervous about posting it, so for you guys to be so nice in your reviews has been great (keep 'em coming! I love to hear from you guys) It's also been super helpful for you guys telling me what you wouldn't and wouldn't like to see (different characters, aspects, ect.) so that's been great **

**Second of all, I was wondering how you guys feel about smut for this story. It's entirely up to you guys at this point. Originally my plan was to keep this story rated T the whole way through, and that doesn't have to change. I don't want to scar your guys's childhoods or anything by adding smut to the story. It would probably already be one scene, and I know where it would go, but if you guys would prefer this stay rated T, that's fine too :) Either way works. **

**Third and final thing isn't such a happy note. break is ending and exams are coming up at school. That means I might not be able to write as often. I mean sure I'll do my best and everything but... I can't make any promises. So the next chapter might be a little bit delayed. I'm really sorry in advance if that does trun out happening. I'll do my best for it to not, but school is kind of important. **

**So yeah thanks for reading this (both the story and the author's note) and I hope you guys liked this chapter :) Don't forget to review and let me know what you think! Like I said, I love hearing from you guys! It makes my day every time I get a review alert! **

**If you post anything about the story on tumblr just tag it "AWNW" (since the actual A whole new world tag is sort of filled with a bunch of different stuff) and also tag it "iggythesocialllama" which is just my url but without the dashes since the full url wont work in tags. **

**Thanks guys! and see you next time! :) **


	4. Street Urchins

**I owe you guys the biggest appology. I am so sorry! It's been over a month now and I know that's just rediculous, it's just life got in the way and then I hit a major case of writers block, but I am catching up now I promise. **

**This is another case of a full chapter cut in half. Beta suggested I post chapter four in two parts since altogether it was 5200 words. Here's the first 3042 words :) **

**Speaking of Beta, huge thanks to mine (Skia9 over on tumblr) who has done an amazing job putting up with me and my insistent tense-changes and weird phrasing. When I originally wrote this chapter, I accidentaly wrote the entire thing in the wrong tense. It's been changed, but there's probably a fair amount of misses too, sorry!**

**Okay I think I've done my fair share of appologizing for one writers note, on with the story! **

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry sir we..."<p>

"What do you mean they escaped?" The Sultan roared at the captain of the guard, face red.

"I... well, sir I..." The man stammers. He crouched on one knee in front of the Sultan, delivering the news of how their search of the city had gone that day. The other two guards who were with him knelt slightly behind him on each side, they hadn't spoken a word since they arrived. It was the Captain's job to command action in the city, and his duty to report failure or success to whomever it may concern. This was only the second time that reporting directly to the Sultan was made necessary. The first was when the guard was ordered to seize the former captain and his family from the palace. The Sultan had not told them why, but by the end of the night they had a new captain and were instructed to move on as if nothing had happened that night. They did as they were told. The Sultan hadn't even spoken that time, when success had been reported. He simply accepted the news, and waved his hand to dismiss the men. The subject was never spoken of again.

"Karofsky, you listen to me." The Sultan said, standing, "I don't care what you say about a pair of misfit street rats. You bring my son home before tomorrow night, or the consequences will be dire. I'm bringing the loud-mouthed girl's parents here tomorrow, they're on their way. I want to announce Blaine's engagement as soon as possible." He said, glaring at his guards, "And if my good for nothing son isn't here before the sun sets, then I can't do that now can I?"

"B-But sir..."

"Don't bother." The Sultan held up his hand, "I don't care what happens to these boys you say he's with, but come tomorrow night, my son will be in this palace." The Sultan sat back down, a tense silence hanging over then room as the others waited to see what else would be said.

Finally, after the long pause, the Sultan spoke in a harsh tone, "You're dismissed."

* * *

><p>Blaine's eyes blinked open slowly, turning away from the imposing light. There was a brief moment of <em>Where am I?<em> Before he recognized the room around him and his mind cleared enough to put the pieces together. He pushed himself up to a half-sitting position on one elbow to rub the sleep out of his eyes with the heel of his free hand.

The whole room was flooded with light, the sun already high in the sky. He felt around on the mattress beside him and found it cold. Obviously Kurt had been up for some time now, Blaine just hoped he's still somewhere in the small apartment.

"Alright, alright I'm up," he muttered to himself, rubbing his hand down his face again. He swung his feet around onto the stone floor, warm from the sun, and padded out to the front room.

Kurt was already there, facing away from Blaine on the couch. Kurt finally turned to look at Blaine once the dark-haired boy neared the couch himself.

"Do you always sleep all day?" He asked, only half joking. He and Finn had usually been up for hours by this time.

Blaine cocked his head to the side, still not completely alert. He'd always been slow to wake. "Why? What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"Nine AM." Kurt answered. "Finn wanted to wake you up at six-thirty when we got up, but I told him to let you sleep. I don't think he thought it was fair that you got to sleep in while he went out looking for food and work," he joked.

Blaine was dumbstruck. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he woke before eleven. Even when he used to wake for lessons, he was only roused at ten or so. "Do you guys really get up this early every day?"

Kurt gave him a look as though he'd asked something ridiculous, "Well... yes." He responded, "We've got to. Finn's still looking for a job and it can take a full day to get enough food together to keep us going another day..." that was true. It had been much easier in the earlier years, when full meals were only a few coins away and men were generous with their wares. Some days Kurt hadn't even needed to steal at all and could still eat a full meal. Things were different now, though. Everything cost triple what it should have, and Kurt and Finn often went a few days before eating anything proper. The attitudes towards street rats were never exactly positive but they seemed to be ever worsening. It was in Kurt's opinion that the raised prices were only the next part in the sultan's plan to wipe out the poorest of them entirely, but he kept that thought to himself.

Blaine just nodded, unsure how to respond. He hadn't even thought about that part. "We don't have any breakfast." Kurt continued, "I don't know if you're hungry... I can go try to find something?" His tone was apologetic.

Blaine was very hungry. His stomach was making complaints, demanding the large palace breakfast he was accustomed to, but he didn't tell Kurt that. Instead, he smiled and shook his head, uttering a polite "No, thanks. I'm fine."

Kurt looked almost relieved. He couldn't afford to feed himself and Finn any more than the few and far between good meals they got every so often. He had no idea what to do now that Blaine was there. "Uhh... Finn's already out. We can go soon, too, if you're not too tired." Kurt suggested, "The guard won't be out looking for you anymore. All you did was steal some bread..."

Blaine knew that's not true. The guard didn't just lose interest in finding a missing Prince. Kurt didn't know that, though, and as much as Blaine knew he needed to tell him everything, he really didn't want to. But if he didn't, he could be putting Kurt and Finn at danger and that's the last thing he wanted. Even worse than having Kurt hate him for being a liar and a coward who couldn't face his princely problems, would be putting Kurt's life at risk just to run from those problems all over again.

"Listen Kurt I—" Blaine began, figuring it was best to get this out of the way sooner rather than later. Heck, maybe Kurt wouldn't even be angry at all. Maybe he would've been impressed by Blaine's ability to sneak out of the palace... only to need rescuing from a group of guards in the city by lunch.

Kurt glanced up, looking a bit nervous, "Blaine if this is about last night..." Kurt had been thinking about the night before all morning. He'd woken up to find himself face-to-face with Blaine, one of Blaine's arms slung over Kurt's waist and the other bent under Blaine's head. Their feet had been a tangle at the bottom of the bed and their chests pressed flush against each other. He's almost had a heart attack when he's opened his eyes to find Blaine _right there,_ so close. They'd both shifted near to each other in sleep.

He'd lay there for a few long minutes, not wanting to give up and leave the warm, comfortable position. Even when he did decide to move it took forever to extricate himself without waking Blaine, who simply rolled over and snuggled into Kurt's cushion the moment the paler boy was out of his arms. Kurt had stood there, shaking his head at the boy fondly before finally leaving to rouse Finn (who had mumbled groggily and almost fallen off the couch when Kurt had shaken him awake).

Both Kurt and Blaine stood there in silence for a moment, staring at each other. Blaine noticed how nervous Kurt looked thinking of the night before, and Kurt couldn't help thinking just how terrified Blaine looked about whatever it was he had been meaning to say to Kurt.

_What if he wants to tell me to get out? _Blaine's mind supplied, _what if he's angry that I tried to kiss him and now he wants me gone? _By then Blaine's thoughts were simply appearing as worst-case scenarios. Things like Kurt kicking him out and handing him over to the guards. Those options don't really make any sense seeing as the way Kurt's been so kind and helpful, of course, but the terrified part of Blaine's mind doesn't seem to register that.

Kurt's mind wasn't sure where to go. Blaine had looked so mortified just now. What had he wanted to say? Kurt was sure he was about to be rejected, but he had grown used to that feeling. This one was different. It was more than the disappointment and anger that usually resulted from someone rejecting him—whether it be for a job, an emission of feelings, whatever. This was different.

This felt like he's about to be pushed off a tall building, Or to be less melodramatic, punched in the gut. He actually felt like Blaine was about to inflict _physical pain_ and he was just waiting for it to hit, staring at Blaine nervously waiting for the blow.

"Listen, Kurt..." Blaine started, "I haven't been totally honest with you."

Kurt sucked in a breath, "Just spit it out, Blaine."

"I'm... I'm not—" Blaine wasn't not sure how to say it. He opened his mouth once again, tongue dry as sandpaper, "I'm actually..."

"You guys!" A loud call from outside interrupted them, "Get down here! You've got to see this!"

Kurt recognized the voice as Finn's, and he rushed to the window to find his roommate outside, hands cupped around his mouth and an excited look on his face.

"You seriously have to see what's going on. It's insane dude!"

Kurt rolled his eyes in frustration and Blaine let out an exasperated sigh. So much for that.

They both headed downstairs and outside. Kurt insisted on primping Blaine on the way down ("I know you just woke up but you look so messy, let me fix it") which caused them to take a bit longer than needed.

When they did finally reach Finn, the tall boy was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet with excitement.

"Are you going to tell us what you're so worked up about?" Kurt asked.

"No, bro. You've got to see it for yourself." Finn says, turning and heading toward the passage of the black market, "Trust me on this one."

Kurt rolled his eyes, but a smile still tugged at his lips regardless, "Gods Finn, you're such a child."

"I know. You always say that. But dude, you've got to see this alright?"

"Alright alright, we're right behind you, Finn." Kurt laughed, throwing Blaine a smile and shrug as if to say "Isn't he ridiculous?"

The tension and anxiety from minutes earlier were completely gone. Kurt was back to confidence and comfortably walking beside Blaine—just a little bit closer than he usually walked with Finn, though that was mostly Blaine's doing. Kurt wasn't moving away, though, so Blaine figured it was alright.

Blaine's nervousness had dropped away as well. His usual dopey grin had returned, and he was staring at the things Kurt and Finn pointed out to him with wonder. It was the simplest things, Kurt noticed, that really got Blaine's attention. The mules in the street and children playing in between carts, the tattered wall hangings made by women. They were meant to imitate the silk and golden works the peasants had seen being taken into the palace by the dozen, but they looked nothing like them as far as Kurt was concerned. He often wished he could afford the materials to show the women how it_ should_ be done.

They didn't have much time to stop and observe. Finn was rushing them too much for that. When they finally reach their destination, Kurt understood why.

As they slipped through the narrow passage between the black market and the street, the steady beat of drums became audible. After that, it was the interested chatter of townsfolk that reached their ears.

The crowd gathered around the main street was huge, probably the largest gathering of Agrahbah citizens in years. Kurt had to stretch on his toes to see what was going on.

Five elephants were walking down the wide street, four walking in a square position with the largest of them in the centre. At the elephants feet were camels. They were carrying a large array of multi-coloured bags and luggage. Walking in front and leading the entire display, men on foot carried drums and created the steady rhythm that they'd heard earlier. Perhaps the focal point of all of this, though, was the two figures sitting atop the largest elephant.

A man and a woman were sitting loftily in a cushioned seat atop the pachyderm, waving to their audience with smiles on their faces.

"Wow." Kurt whispered, impressed. They'd had a few presentations like this when Princesses had gone to try for the Prince's hand, but never anything this extravagant. "Whoever this is, they're really going all out."

"I told you guys!" Finn said, smiling with self-satisfaction, "What do you think, Blaine?" the tall boy asked.

Both Kurt and Finn turned their eyes to Blaine, but he didn't look at all like they'd expected. After seeing him so excited at every little thing in the market, one would expect Blaine to be completely floored by this display. Instead, rather than the excitement or interest on his face the not-brothers see confusion, and something akin to anxiety in their new friend's expression.

Blaine barely registered Kurt and Finn speaking to him. His eyes were fixed on the familiar couple waving to the crowds.

He recognized them as Rachel's parents. He'd never met the couple, who governed a kingdom too far from Agrahbah to ever make the trip, but he'd been well-versed in their affairs by his father. The sultan was apparently a very reasonable man, and his wife was a talented performer much like her daughter. They very rarely left their own palace unless it was for something very important.

Something, Blaine thought with a fright, like their daughter's engagement.

"Blaine?"

Blaine finally snapped back to reality to find Kurt and Finn looking at him with concern. He wiped the scared expression off of his face, throwing them a smile that he hoped appeared genuine. "Sorry, I guess I just zoned out."

Finn accepted the excuse and smiled, clapping Blaine on the back. "We should try to get closer. Kurt's really good at pushing people aside." Blaine looked to Kurt, who looked slightly offended by the comment, but then accepted it and shrugged.

"We could try." Kurt agreed.

Blaine wasn't so sure about that. If someone that important was visiting, the guards would be keeping a close watch. He couldn't risk being seen. Originally he thought it would be safer to walk through the city today. After yesterday when the guards had failed to capture them, he thought his father would be scheming for a new way to get him back to the castle, since the guards had been unsuccessful. His father rarely had the patience for second chances.

It was obvious now Blaine had been wrong. Not only had his father not called off the guards, he had Blaine engaged thinking that Blaine would see Rachel's parents arriving and come running back to be married.

"I don't know. Maybe we should just watch from here." Blaine suggested hesitantly, his eyes darting back and forth to try and keep watch on the crowd, to check for any guards charging through the sea of people toward them.

"Oh c'mon man!" Finn said, "We don't see this kind of thing every day here. We've gotta get a closer look." Before Blaine or even Kurt could object, Finn was dragging them both upward to the front of the crowd, his large stature easily clearing the way for them.

Blaine was protesting the entire way forward. He was trying to convince Finn of just how bad this idea was. But the taller boy was having none of it, set on dragging them all to the front.

The view was even crazier in the front of the crowd. They could see down the street, where extravagant carts being pulled by white horses carried expensive looking wares (gifts for the palace, some maybe even for Blaine). The people were pushier up front as well. They tugged and pulled at Blaine's shoulders and Kurt's clothes, all trying to get a better view of the kingdom's visitors.

"Ow!" Kurt turned to slap away a hand that had been tugging on the back of his collar.

The hand turned out to belong to a meaty woman with an unkind look on her face, who was none to pleased about Kurt slapping away her hand.

"I can't see." She complained in a scratchy, high-pitched voice, "I'm trying to get a good view!"

"You're _trying_ to rip the clothes off my body." Kurt bit back sarcastically, "These fabrics weren't easy to come by, you know!"

The woman sneered, turning her nose up at Kurt. "Yes. I'm sure you worked hard to _steal _those, street rat."

"Right. Something you would know a lot about. What'd you steal that hideous frock from, A camel's backside?"

"Hey now." Blaine said, at the same time Finn laid a hand on the woman's shoulder when she tried to raise a hand to Kurt.

The woman turned her alarmed expression toward Finn now, "Help!" her shrill voice called out, "This boy is harassing me! Help!"

Finn withdrew his hand as if he'd been burned. "Hey I didn't mean—" Finn's protests didn't do much good. The woman only continued shrieking like a banshee, drawing quite a large amount of attention. "Hey what's going on over... _Prince_?"

"Shit!" Kurt hissed, turning to see two guards making their way toward their dispute, "Run!"

Blaine's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach, and his feet felt glued to the spot. They'd seen him. _Again._

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><p><strong>Next chapter soon! Or rather.. next half. It's already with beta :D <strong>

**As always, Reviews are highly appreciated, along with constructive critisism :) **

**You can follow me at blainersfabray over on tumblr (I change my url a fair bit too much these days, oops!) if you have any questions about current or upcoming chapters... or just wanna talk :) **

**With love,**

** Iggy xx**


	5. The Empty Streets Of Agrahah

**New chapter yaaaaay :D **

**okay so.. I'm still not entirely confident in my chase scenes, but seeing as how there'll be a few more in this fic (and one in this chapter) I'll have to ask you to be patient with me. I mean... I'm hoping they'll get better, obviously. But hey if you have advice send it my way! :) **

**Not much to say about this chapter... just that I hope you like it and let me know what you think! :) **

**As always, I don't own the boys and such.**

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><p>"Shit!" Kurt hissed, turning to see two guards making their way toward their dispute, "Run!"<p>

Blaine's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach, and his feet felt glued to the spot. They'd seen him. _Again._

"C'mon Blaine!" Kurt said loudly, breaking through Blaine's terrified haze. Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand, pulling him through the gap the crowd was making for them to run through.

By the time Blaine's feet actually got the message to run, Finn had reached the edge of the crowd. The tall boy was jumping up and down on the balls of his feet, keeping his eyes on the guards trailing his brother and their new friend and waving his arms frantically as if that would help them run faster.

As soon as they reached the end of the crowd, Kurt paused for a fraction of a second. Long enough to exchange a glance with Finn, share a determined look, and then nod. Then they sprung into action, Finn running ahead and cutting to the side to run down a side street and Kurt running straight ahead tugging Blaine behind him. Kurt's grip on Blaine's hand was verging on painful.

Behind them, Blaine could hear shouts of "It's him!" and "Don't lose him this time!", mixed in with mummers of the crowd observing the sudden commotion.

Blaine stared behind him as they ran, wide and scared eyes focused on the group of guards running after them. The one up front pointed in two different directions, barking orders to the men behind him, who immediately split up and run down alleys on each side.

"Uhh... Kurt?" Blaine said nervously.

"Not now, Blaine." Kurt replied shortly.

Unexpectedly, Kurt pulled Blaine around a corner with such force that Blaine swung around and into the alley wall on the other side with a soft "oof."

They stood there leaning against the wall, breathing deep for a few long seconds. "Kurt I really think..." Blaine tried again, remembering the guards splitting up before.

Once again, Kurt didn't let him finish. "Not yet. Finn's waiting down here." And then they were off again.

Blaine grunted in frustration at Kurt's dismissal, but followed behind anyway. They continued running down the alley, reaching the end and rounding the corner to be met by a group of guards

who were just turning off another street and coming toward them.

Blaine heard Kurt curse under his breath, and the prince couldn't help but mutter "I tried to tell you." with a shake of his head.

The two of them turned on their heels, running up the street the opposite way. They tried to move as fast as possible, knowing the guards are hot on their tail now. The problem with the majority of Agrabah still being in the main square was that it left the streets almost entirely vacant. Kurt had always been best at avoiding the guards because of how easy it was for him to disappear into the crowd. It was near impossible to find him once he melded into the ever-bustling sea of bodies. But now that he didn't have that tool on his side, he lost his biggest advantage.

Sure, he was still faster than most of the guards, and he knew his way around better than they did. But the guards were a large group, and while most of them might be incredibly stupid and overly large, that didn't mean they couldn't run him down and take him straight to the palace to throw him in a cell or... or worse.

Kurt and Finn had plans for situations like these. They realized a long time ago that these things needed to be thought out. So one day, not long after they partnered up, Kurt sat Finn down and they worked out their course of action for a situation like this. Usually, it was Kurt the guards were after. He was innocent looking and small, it was easy for him to get close to whatever it was they were trying to steal without being noticed (as opposed to Finn, who you could see coming from the next kingdom over). And although Finn was faster, Kurt's small stature also helped when he was running from the guards, getting lost in the crowd and hiding behind things was much easier for him than it was for his partner.

Finn helped because he knew his way around so well. He knew the layout of the city inside and out, every alleyway and every rooftop. He was, after all, the one who had saved Kurt and Blaine's asses the other day when they had been crowded against a wall. He'd watched them run off and figured out exactly where they would end up so he could be there in advance; ready to pull them up when they needed it. If the guards ever cornered Kurt (a rare but daunting situation) Finn was much more likely to intimidate physically as well. Kurt could fight when he needed to. He was actually pretty good at it. But that didn't change the fact that the average palace guard could eat two Kurt's for breakfast. In the off occasion that Kurt did end up with nowhere else to go, Finn would already be waiting at the dead end prepared to fight off the guards if it was called for.

That day, Kurt knew Finn would be waiting up ahead. There was a wide back alley that ended in a square stone courtyard of sorts, with three separate streets going off from there—two thick and one thin. If Kurt and Blaine could get a wide enough gap between them and the guards before they reached that spot, they could go through that slimmer passage and disappear before the guards saw which passage they'd taken. It was a gamble, but it was the only option they had.

They slowed to a stop when they reached their destination, just long enough for Kurt to peek around the corner of a building and check for Finn. But he wasn't there. A confused look crossed Kurt's face. _Finn was supposed to be here. _He looked back to Blaine, who shrugged in response.

Kurt bit his lip and went to step out from around the corner into the empty square, but just as he was about to take a step, Blaine spotted the guards approaching from the other side and gasped, grabbing Kurt's arm and pulling him to the ground and crouched behind a crate.

"Blaine! What the—" Blaine placed his hand over Kurt's mouth and gave a quick shake of his head. Moments later they heard the guards begin to speak.

"Where are they?" One demanded in a rough voice. They heard the patter of more feet as the guards who had been tailing them arrived at the scene.

"They came this way," another said from the group had been tailing them.

"It was the Prince and the boy from before!" a third added on. Kurt gave a confused look from behind Blaine's hand, and then reached up to tug Blaine's hand away from his mouth. Blaine bit the inside of his cheek and looks down guiltily, unable to meet Kurt's questioning glance.

_Who do those men think we are?_ Kurt wondered, straining his ears to hear more conversation.

The men were noisy, he could hear them walking around with heavy feet and occasionally one spitting or sniffing loudly. _What disgusting, vile men_, he thought.

Suddenly there was a bit of a commotion, and a yelp of pain that sounded just a bit to familiar,

"Dude that_ hurt_!"

Kurt couldn't help but gasp when he heard Finn's voice, and then he was covering his mouth with his own hand trying to keep from giving away their hiding place. "And just who is this?" one of the gruff voices demands.

"He was waiting when we got here." Someone supplied, sounding a little too close to their crate for Blaine or Kurt's liking, "We think he was waiting for the other two. He won't tell us anything."

"I don'_t know_ anything." They heard Finn insist, "They could be anywhere." Finn lied.

_Shut up, Finn. Shut up shut up shut up. _Blaine really didn't want anyone getting hurt in this, and he especially didn't want Finn getting hurt for talking back to the guard. The last thing he needed was another wrong against Finn and Kurt on his conscience. They heard a whine of pain and a thud as someone hit Finn, and Kurt flinched at the sound, shaking his head vigorously. His heart was beating so loudly in his chest he worried that it would give away their hiding place. Blaine hated himself in that moment. Seeing Kurt looking so terrified for his brother, who was in the hands of guards all because they were trying to help Blaine. This was all his fault.

"Keep the boy." A commanding voice instructed, "Until we know where the prince is, he belongs to us." There was the loud sound of a slap as a guard struck Finn again.

Kurt and Blaine sat, horror-stricken, and listened to the men continue to argue and "discipline" Finn. Kurt flinched every time they heard the sound of someone hitting the boy, and it's all Blaine could do not to wrap him in his arms and assure him everything would be alright. Even though he had no idea how it ever would be after everything he's caused for these two. He'd never forgive himself.

And then he got an idea.

He hated it. Absolutely loathed what he's about to do. But he knew it was his only option, and any hesitation to go through with it flew out the window when he saw that Kurt's eyes had begun to water over the situation.

He placed a hand under Kurt's chin, turning the pale boy to face him. Kurt looked confused for a moment, even more so when Blaine gently removed Kurt's hand from over his mouth. He placed one finger against his lips, signalling for Kurt to stay silent. When he was sure Kurt understood, he took a deep breath, leaned in and gently pressed his lips against Kurt's.

The kiss was short, and in less than a moment Blaine was pulling back and searching Kurt's face for his reaction. Kurt's lips were parted slightly in shock, and his blue eyes were staring directly into Blaine's hazel ones, asking about a million questions. It took everything in Blaine's power to finally look away from those eyes. He held his finger to his lips to make sure Kurt understood to stay silent one again. The boy nodded. Blaine took one more deep breath, swallowed hard, and tried to tell Kurt everything with a broken look.

_I am so, so sorry, Kurt._

Then Blaine was standing, stepping out from behind the crate and clearing his throat loudly. Everyone's eyes turned to him.

"Release him." Blaine said in the most authoritative voice he could muster.

"Dude what are you doing?" Finn said, shocked.

"Prince Blaine!"

"Prince?" One of the men hit Finn harshly for his outburst.

Blaine said nothing, just stood his ground looking menacingly at the guards.

"Prince Blaine, your majesty has demanded we bring you back to the palace at one. Princess Ra—"

"I know what's going on in the palace." Blaine held up a hand to silence the speaker, "I'll go with you. I will," he promised. The words tasted bitter in his mouth. "But you have to let him go."

The burliest of them stepped forward, the Captain, and glared at Blaine, "And who's to say we won't take you both to the palace?" the captain knew how the Sultan really felt about his son, he wasn't scared to speak to the prince.

"I've escaped you once. I can do it again." Blaine bluffed, pulling himself up to his tallest against the captain, "Do you really want to go back to my father with news of failure a second time?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. The two mean stared at each other, a silent battle of who would give in first.

"Release him." The Captain ordered, raising a hand to his men, "He's not the one we're here for."

Blaine smiled triumphantly at the small victory, watching as the guards dropped Finn and he fell over, clutching his side where the guards had hit him. It pained Blaine to watch this happen knowing it was because of him, but he couldn't show that weakness now. Not to them.

"Move out." The captain demanded, motioning to his soldiers. "And you boy," he gave Blaine a disgusted look, "Come with me." He grabbed Blaine roughly by the arm, holding too tightly in a way Blaine knew was meant to hurt. The Prince held his head high. If there was anything he learned from his years in the palace, it was how to act as though he were above others. And he'd never considered anyone so low below him as he did the guard in that moment. "To the palace!" his captive demanded, and they began to walk.

Just before they rounded a corner and the courtyard went out of sights Blaine turned back, sparing one last look toward the crate where he had left Kurt crouching. The boy was peeking out from behind, a look of immeasurable confusion and hurt Blaine couldn't begin to decipher on his beautiful features. Blaine's heart pained knowing he put that look there.

_I am so, so sorry._

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><p><strong>I'm sorry too, Blainers, I'm sorry too. <strong>

**So anyway there's the chapter, I hope you liked it! **

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**xx -Iggy **


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